


Freezing depth of Compassion

by Neko_Airie



Series: Rarities come in Handy [27]
Category: Les Trois Mousquetaires | The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas, The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, M/M, d'Art has a hero complex apparently, mentions of suicide very brief, rescuing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 08:10:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5998288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neko_Airie/pseuds/Neko_Airie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the quartet of musketeers decided to take a detour on the way back to Paris the group finds themselves in the midst of chaos thanks to one pesky bridge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Freezing depth of Compassion

**Author's Note:**

> I know it has been so long since I posted a story to this series and I hope that some people still want to read my work. This was written in one evening and is aiming to get me back into the flow.

The quartet of musketeers had spent the last week clearing out a forest of bandits for the Kings annual hunt, it had been a relatively easy trip. Most of the Bandits had left of their own free will when the Musketeers had taken care of the Leader and his small bob cat daemon. The weather was hot and humid but not unpleasant, in fact is was a nice change from the rain and cold that had been blanketing France since early October of last year. 

They had decided to walk the horses for a while, what with the weather and work that they had been doing over the past week. Porthos was gently egging his large stallion on as he trotted over the dirt, Adelynn was sat on the back of the horse tongue lolling out. She had decided about a mile back that she no longer wanted to walk. Athos was humming quietly as he walked beside his horse, Bijou was gliding on the air waves that moved the tops of the trees. She occasionally dropped down to sit on Athos shoulder for a rest and to talk. d’Artangan was still riding his horse, she was the work horse he had brought from his home farm. Anumpama was walking at a leisurely pace, she had it easiest of all with her long body and long gait. She could take a trot while the rest of the four legged creatures would have to run. Aramis was also still riding had walked his horse a while back. Evette trotted along happily by the horses feet chatting quietly with her human about what they were going to do when they returned to paris.

The day drew on slowly and the conversation quieted until the riders and walkers were in companionable quiet with each other. “We are about a days ride from Paris. Shall we camp out one last night.” Aramis said as he looked up at afternoon sky and smiled as he felt a breeze play through his hair. Athos raised and eyebrow and thought about it for a few moment before nodding. “Yes, why not. Although, I haven’t seen anywhere decent to camp for a the last few hours.” He murmured thinking about it. Aramis smiled. “I know some where. There are the ruins of an old mill not far from here, last time I came through these woods a few rooms were still serviceable.” He suggested with a half smile. Athos looked around at the other two. “What do you think?” Porthos shrugged. “Why not, I could do with a day of no work. What about you d’Art? No need for you to be back tonight is there?” d’Artangan shook his head. “Nope, a nice easy night might actually be nice.” Aramis nodded and pulled his horse off to the side and off the light forest. “This way then.” He said as he kicked his horse over into a trot. Porthos mounted up and Athos followed. d’Artangan brought up the rear as Anu kept her ears pealed for any sound of someone trying to sneak up on them.

The sun was just starting to set, orange and pink streaks running across the sky as the trees finally cleared to reveal the old stone ruins of a small cottage and mill on the other side of a river. “There, I told you. Absolutely charming isn’t it.” Aramis said with an air of triumph and pride. Athos hummed in agreement. “Charming.” d’Artanagan was scouting the area when he spoke up. “As charming as the cottage is I wouldn’t call that charming.” He was pointing to a very fragile and dangerous looking stone bridge. Parts of it was missing and there was very little left of the mortar that was supposed to be holding it together. Porthos nodded and agreed with d’Artangan as he dismounted. “We are defiantly not taking the horses across that.” Evette hopped down from her bag on Aramis saddled and trotted over to the bridge. “It will be fine.” She stated hoping up on some of the remaining wall and bouncing to somewhere close to the middle. “See! No movement. It’s fine.” She said again trotting in a circle and smiling in her own foxy way. d’Artangan was staring wide eyed as he stood at the end of the bridge, he looked to Aramis who had also stilled. “Evette, come back to this side please. I really doesn’t look safe.” He asked quietly. Evette sighed. “Really, now you decide to gain a sense of self preservation. If your quick the bridge will be fin-“ She was cut off sharply. While she had been talking she had been bouncing from side to side on the bridge when it suddenly gave way under her and she started to fall. 

They all froze in horror as they watched her fall towards the rushing water below the bridge. d’Artangan is the first to move, he dives forwards and tries to grab her as she falls leaning over the edge of the bridge and scrambling desperately to get to her fur. He misses by an inch as his fingers graze her fur. “Dammit.” He yelled dashing to the other side and trying to spot her in the water as it rushed under the bridge. He scans the water with frantic eyes, finally after agonising seconds her tiny snout pops up out of the white water and her squeezing yelps can be heard. With out a single though d’arranging throws himself over the edge of the bridge causing it to crumbled completely. He crashed into the water, it’s freezing against his skin and he feels like he is being stabbed all over by needles. It takes a few seconds for him to gain his bearings as he pops above the water. He quickly locates Evette a few meters down the river. “Fight Evette. I’m coming.” He screamed over the rushing water. She starts to fight as mush as she can but is quickly running out of energy as the water pushes her further away. d’Artangan pushed himself forwards down the raging water towards her. He lets the water take him, reaching out for her. A few agonising seconds he feared that he would never reach her. Then he feels her fun under his hand and he tightens down, he doesn’t know what he had hold of but its something. He hauls her towards his chest, she yelps loudly and he realises that he has hold of her ear and the fur of her neck. He could apologies later. He pulled her towards chest and turns his back drawing up his legs to surround her so that she is protected from the water. He manages to look down and sees that she is not bleeding or cut anywhere. He looks up when he hears a yell.

On the bank Porthos and Athos are riding full pelt to keep up the raging water and the pair in it. He can see that Aramis is riding in front of Porthos on of the mans strong arms is wrapped tight around him to keep him on the horse. Keeping them close, his mind informs him. He tries to raise Evette so that Aramis can see that she is okay. He manages a slight movement and can see the other man jerk as he sees her. Good. He turns his attention back to water as he can feel it speeding up, hear it getting louder. The water engulfs him for a few seconds and he comes up spluttering loudly. He looks down. Evette is spluttering to but she is doing okay. He needs to get her out of the wat-. His thoughts are destroyed as his arm and back hit a large under water boulder and he screams in a pain. Black threatens to enclose his vision but he forces it back with the thought that he needs to keep hold of Evette. He can hear Athos yelling but he can’t make out the words, he raises Evette again showing that she’s okay. The yelling continues and he tries to look at Athos but his vision is blurry. He can see the man gesturing wildly to just behind him. d’Artangain turns his head and catches a glimpse of what the yelling is about. Rocks…Lots and lots of large sharp rocks and he is rushing towards them. He swallows hard. “Evette can you hear me?” He asked her quickly. She squeaks in reply. “I’m going to his rocks. Stay against me as much as you can.” He wanted to warn her. She squeaks something but he can’t hear it over the water. Too late anyway.

His back crashes hard into the first rock and his instinctive reaction is try and fend himself away from them but he pushes it down to keep himself wrapped around Evette protecting her. He started to loose count as he bounces from rock to rock buffeted and bashes like a leaf in the water. He can’t scream for fear of water filling his mouth and lungs. He can hear the yelling getting closer now, louder but that could be his imagination hoping. Suddenly it all comes to a pounding stop as he crashes into the last rock and is caught there, the gap between it and it’s neighbour to narrow for him to slip through. He gasps in relief and instantly regrets its as pain radiated through his body, the cold quickly numbs it as he stops moving. Black is at the edges of his vision again and this time he can’t force it away, it’s going to win. His last conscious feeling is something lifting Evette from his arms and telling him it’s okay for him to let go.

Athos and Porthos had followed and close as they could to the pair, watching and searching for some way to get them out of the water. Anumpama ran full pelt at the rivers side eyes never leaving her human, she stumbled when he hit things and cuts appeared on her body as they were caused on d’Artangans. Porthos with Anus help had dragged Aramis onto the horse at the bridge, the man having been unable to move or think. A little into the ride Aramis had come back a little and was searching for them in the water. “There…I see d’Artangan and…” He searched franticly for Evette, he couldn’t see her. He felt ice coursing over him but there wasn’t any pain, just panic and cold. He yipped when d’Artangan raised her so that he could see her. “He’s got her. She’s going to be okay.” Porthos yelled over the wind whipping past them Aramis nodded although he still feared for her and d’Artangan. Athos was continuously yelling for d’Artangan, telling him to hold on, that they would get to them and get them out soon. He trailed off though when he hit the first of the rocks, seconds drew on in panic before d’Artangin reappeared and Evette was seen again. “Thank God” He whispered before he started to yell again. They pushed the horses harder when the river sped up and they rounded a corner. Porthos gasped, there were rapids in the river. Rocks everywhere. Athos yelling changed. Trying to warn d’Artangan to tell him anything. His yelling turned to screams when he started to bounce from rock to water the water moving so fast that the blood didn’t even get chance to colour it. 

Everything finally halted when d’Artangan was thrown to a small recess of close cropped rocks off to the side of the river. Athos pulled his horse to a sharp halt next to them and dismounted even before the horse had come to a full stop. He scrambled to the edge of the water quickly followed by Porthos and Aramis. He reached out but couldn’t reach them, they were inches from his fingers. He yelled in frustration. Porthos tried but couldn’t reach either. Then Anumpama pushed her way through, sweat and blood splattered coat a mess. She moved with shaky legs, stepping out on the rocks carefully. She could see d’Artangan passing out but the way that he was caught meant that he couldn’t slip under the water. She stepped further out and eventually came close enough. Bending her massive head she nudged into d’Artangans arms speaking quietly. Gently wrapped he lethal jaws around Evettes scruff and lifted her out of the freezing water. Back up slowly she came to land and placed the shivering Fox daemon down on the grass. Aramis dived forwards and took her into his arms cry quietly and checking that she was alright. 

And returned to the waters edge and started to step out again onto the rocks to get to d’Artangan. With careful steps she returned to the rock where he was caught and bit down on the humans shirt. Tugging hard she dislodged him and pulled him to the side but was unable to haul him up over the bank. Athos was at her side instantly. “Let me help.” He said quickly and wrapped his arms under d’Artangans and helped to haul him from the water. They dragged him away from the bank to a covered area, Anu nudged him onto his side and was pleased when he moaned. “Porthos can you make a fire up.” Athos asked as he gathered the blankets from everyones packs. The larger man nodded. “No problem.” He started quickly and soon a roaring fire was going close to there group. “Do you want help undressing him?” Porthos asked quickly as he noticed Athos struggling, the man nodded. “Grab a dagger and cut them off, the are torn and ruined anyway. He has another set in his pack.” Slowly and with care to avoid any more injuries Athos and Porthos removed all of d’Artangans wet clothes and revealed an already bruising back and a few deep lacerations from rocks. “Doesn’t look like he hit his head.” Athos stated as he checked the boys hair. “That good, he should be okay once we close these up.” Porthos replied. Athos was about to grab his own first aid kit when Aramis stayed his hand. “I can take care of that. It would be an honour.” Athos looked up. “Are you sure. I mean after that….” He trailed off when he noticed that Evette had come over from he place by the fire and was sat staring at d’Artangan. “Evette is fine. Not a scratch on her. He protected her.” Aramis said with gratitude in his voice. He looked round when he felt an odd sensation to find that Evette had wiggled her way under one of d’Artangans hands and was led there with her eyes closed. “Oh..” He said quickly pausing to watch for a few seconds. He then smiled. “What ever she wants.” He murmured half to himself before grabbing his kit and then setting a pot of water to boil so that he could clean and stitch the wounds. 

d’Artangan started to come to not long after Aramis had finished stitching him up. He flexed his hands and frowned when he felt fur under one of them, but what ever he was holding was something far smaller than anything that was on Anumpama. He tried to think and after a moment everything came flooding back and sat bolt up right and scrambled his hands to his chest searching for the furry creature that he needed to protect. Athos was instantly by his side with Anu and Aramis. “Shhh…She’s here. She’s okay. But your going to pull your stitches out.” It was Aramis talking and trying to push him back. And slipped behind him and lay down to create a large soft warm cushion. “Breath d’Art.” She said quietly nosing at his cheek as her human relaxed back. d’Artangan did as she asked and took a few deep breaths before relaxing fully. Athos brought over a metal goblet of wine. “Here drink.” He said quietly. d’Artangan sipped it slowly and turned his head to the side when he was done. “Is Evette really okay?” He asked voice rough. He expected Aramis to answer and was slightly shocked when he found his lap full of war and try silver grey fur. “I’m fine. Thanks to you. You didn’t think when you jumped in and I am so thankful to you.” She rubbed her head against his hand, he hesitated for a few seconds before petting her lightly. He looked to Aramis checking it was okay. “It’s fine d’Art. You saved our lives today. And I have always classed you as family.” Said taking d’Artangans other hand. “Are you okay though? I mean, jumping off a bridge into icy water…” He trailed off quietly as he saw d’Artangan come to the conclusion. “It never even crossed my mind, not for a second. I just knew that I had to get to Evette, to save her.” He murmured thinking about it and realising that he really, even in this moment as the similarities were brought up, didn’t even considered the two things connected. “I’m am fine, just glad to know that you and Evette are okay.” He explained looking over the other musketeers before yawning. Athos nodded. “I’m glad. Now I think it’s time that you got some sleep.” d’Artangan nodded and relaxed more, the wine having numbed the pain and the fire keeping him warm. He flexed his fingers scratching behind Evettes ear one last time before he dropped off to sleep.


End file.
